(CLP) Programs

Appleton Greene corporate training programs are all process-driven. They are used as vehicles to implement tangible business processes within clients’ organizations, together with training, support and facilitation during the use of these processes. Corporate training programs are therefore implemented over a sustainable period of time, that is to say, between 1 year (incorporating 12 monthly workshops), and 4 years (incorporating 48 monthly workshops). Your program information guide will specify how long each program takes to complete. Each monthly workshop takes 6 hours to implement and can be undertaken either on the client’s premises, an Appleton Greene serviced office, or online via the internet. This enables clients to implement each part of their business process, before moving onto the next stage of the program and enables employees to plan their study time around their current work commitments. The result is far greater program benefit, over a more sustainable period of time and a significantly improved return on investment.

Appleton Greene uses standard and bespoke corporate training programs as vessels to transfer business process improvement knowledge into the heart of our clients’ organizations. Each individual program focuses upon the implementation of a specific business process, which enables clients to easily quantify their return on investment. There are hundreds of established Appleton Greene corporate training products now available to clients within customer services, e-business, finance, globalization, human resources, information technology, legal, management, marketing and production. It does not matter whether a client’s employees are located within one office, or an unlimited number of international offices, we can still bring them together to learn and implement specific business processes collectively. Our approach to global localization enables us to provide clients with a truly international service with that all important personal touch. Appleton Greene corporate training programs can be provided virtually or locally and they are all unique in that they individually focus upon a specific business function. All (CLP) programs are implemented over a sustainable period of time, usually between 1-4 years, incorporating 12-48 monthly workshops and professional support is consistently provided during this time by qualified learning providers and where appropriate, by Accredited Consultants.

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Executive summary

Organizational Culture

Organizational culture is the collective shifting of individual behaviors to a shared, common goal. It is an on-going process of building awareness of an organization’s current situation and the steps needed to get to where the organization wants to be – an inclusive, productive, high-performing company where everyone has responsibility in achieving the corporate objectives. The culture reflects how employees, customers, vendors, and stakeholders experience the organization and its brand. A great organizational culture is the key to developing the traits and behaviors necessary for business success and is a common denominator among the most successful companies. On the other hand, an ineffective culture can bring down the organization and its leadership.

Although most people would agree that they want to work for a healthy and productive company, and most management staff would like to believe they provide an inclusive, high-performing work environment, this isn’t the reality of most organizations. It is reported that only about one-third of HR leaders believe their organizations have the culture they need to drive future business, and getting there is no easy task — more than half of all organizations fail in transforming their cultures. Creating an ideal work environment takes that – work. It requires a commitment from senior management to provide the resources and support needed to move from the Now to the more desirable Next.

It involves all levels of staff, from individual contributors to executive management. In order to create a sustainable, productive environment, an organization’s culture must be addressed from a holistic perspective. Organizational culture can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including leadership behaviors, communication styles, internal messages, and corporate celebrations. Some commonly used terms for describing cultures may include hierarchy, customer-focused, innovative, ethical, technology-driven, process-oriented, or family-friendly. Because culture is difficult to define, organizations may have trouble maintaining consistency in their messages about culture. Culture is created through consistent and authentic behaviors, not just policy. This includes understanding the current corporate behavior, focusing on accountability, being ethical and intentional in decision making, learning how to communicate effectively and with civility in all situations, and motivating employees to high-performance in a fair and just environment, on a regular basis.

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An article published on LinkedIn.com stated that one of the things employees dislike most about their work environment is the lack of context that their employers provide. This means many employees feel they do not get enough information from their employers to have answers to basic questions like, “What’s really expected of me?” “How will my performance be judged?”, and “How does what I do, day-in-and-day-out, help the overall company achieve its goals?” Also, the employees generally felt they weren’t appreciated or recognized for their individual contributions and talents. It is important for all employees to have these essential questions answered because it gives a sense of meaning to their work. When workplace culture is designed with the workers in mind, the employees are more likely to feel more comfortable, supported, and valued.

An organization’s culture tends to emerge over time, shaped by the leadership and by actions and values perceived to have contributed to earlier successes. The management of organizational culture starts with identifying a company’s organizational culture traits. The traits are the core business activities, processes and philosophies that characterize how an organization currently does business day-to-day. Typically, the organization’s founders and leaders create shared traits and beliefs. Because those beliefs initially proved successful, often they go unchallenged and unchanged; however, those beliefs may now be outdated and hinder future success.

When an organization does a decent job assessing its culture, it can then go on to establish policies, programs and strategies that support and strengthen its core purpose and values. In aligned organizations, the same core characteristics or beliefs motivate and unite everyone, cascading down from the C-suite to individual contributors. Although every organization’s culture is different, the cultures of high-performing organizations consistently tend to reflect certain qualities, such as alignment of the company’s objectives and its employees’ motivations; acknowledgement and appreciation; trust where team members can express themselves and rely on others to have their back when needed; integrity when teams can rely on each other to make decisions; and psychological safety that provides the support employees need to take risks and provide honest feedback.

Creating the ideal corporate culture may seem like a mirage to those not willing to put in the work. Others may even question if there are tangible benefits to be realized, if achieved. With the increasing diversity of the workforce, reaching across various generations, genders, and geographical locations, investing in the development of a sustainable, organizational identity can give rise to both tangible and intangible assets, at every level of the organization. Understanding today’s workforce and society’s demands on that workforce is necessary towards creating an appropriate culture that sufficiently represents today’s organization.

Employees now have access to information and people around the corner and around the globe, all at their fingertips. The pandemic brought light to three types of transformation affecting almost every industry: the adoption of digital technologies, the development of new business models, and the implementation of new ways of working. All of these are linked to the cultural identity of the organization. Most companies have been forced to address one or more of these types of transformation and those that aren’t addressing them are at risk for becoming obsolete.

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Leaders also need to understand that culture is dynamic and that change will happen even if nothing is done to guide it. These changes may or may not be the ones needed to move the company in the desired direction. Employee values, mindset, and behaviors will continue to evolve, even if nothing is done to properly guide them. For these reasons, leaders must take an initiative-taking approach to build the right culture now and avoid the need to reshape culture as an afterthought.

For example, Salesforce’s culture transformation is a standout example of how a values-driven approach can profoundly reshape an organization, incorporating pillars of Trust, Equality, Listening, and Acknowledgement. At Salesforce, trust is not just a buzzword but the foundation of their entire business ethos. This trust extends beyond their technology to encompass relationships with employees, customers, and the community, fostering a transparent and reliable environment. Equality is another core value at Salesforce, where they are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. This commitment goes beyond mere policy statements; it is evident in their hiring practices, team structures, and community engagements. By actively promoting equality,